


Falling

by BriMarie



Series: The Book of Love: Rini Drabbles [12]
Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Aged Up, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Disney, Drabble, F/M, Longing, Nini Salazar roberts - Freeform, Pining, Songfic, falling, high school musical the musical the series - Freeform, hsmtmts, ricky bowen - Freeform, rini - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:40:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25030270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BriMarie/pseuds/BriMarie
Summary: Ricky reminisces on his lost relationship with the woman he loves.
Relationships: Ricky Bowen & Nini Salazar-Roberts, Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts
Series: The Book of Love: Rini Drabbles [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1757938
Comments: 4
Kudos: 40





	Falling

**Author's Note:**

> Lyrics are from Falling by Harry Styles

_I'm in my bed and you're not here_

Ricky woke up to the dreadful sound of silence. Most people love waking up on their own accord without someone disturbing their peaceful slumber, and Ricky used to be one of those people. That is until he dated Nini.

She used to always wake up before him even on weekends. She’d roll over and plant kisses all across his face until he would open his eyes. Sometimes if he wouldn’t budge, she’d even go as far as getting on top of him and tickling him to wake him up.

When she finally got him out of bed, she’d drag him to the kitchen so that they can start their day. Usually they’d laugh as they drank their respective morning drinks of choice. She always liked coffee while he was more of a tea guy.

But that was the past.

He woke up later than usual on weekends because there was no one there to be his alarm clock or press sweet kisses across his cheek as a way of saying good morning. All that was left was an unwrinkled spot on his bed that used to be hers.

_Forget what I said, It's not what I meant_

As he stared at the empty spot, all he could think about was their last words to each other. He just can’t believe that was probably the last impression she’d remember him by, and it made him sick to his stomach.

He didn’t mean one word that came out of his mouth four months ago. He was a completely different person. Not even he recognized himself after he said it. He thinks he’ll forever repeat that awful night in his head til he dies.

_And I can't take it back, I can't unpack the baggage you left_

He knows that there was a very slim chance that if he got a chance to even apologize that she’d accept his apology. He also never forgot that face she made right before she left his life forever. It was so full of disappointment and heartbreak, and it had killed him inside to know that it was his words that caused it.

_What if I'm someone I don't want around?_

Not even he wanted to be around him. He’s not mad at all that she felt the need to leave him. He’d leave him. He had completely isolated himself from all their peers including his own parents for the past four months.

His days consisted of going to work and coming straight home. Nothing more, nothing less.

_I'm falling again, I'm falling again, I'm fallin'_

On a particular day, he feels more disheartened than usual almost as if he’s falling. He had walked around like a zombie at work all day more than usual, even his coworkers had asked him if he had been okay. The moment he got home, he went straight for the fridge and cracked open a cold one.

He crashes on the couch and turns on the TV just to feel a little less lonely in this desolate and lifeless apartment. He spots a magazine in the corner of his eye; his boredom had made his curiosity actually take a gander at the paper.

He noticed it was an older magazine dating back to last month, but decided to glance over its content anyways. He skims over the romance portion titled “Most Intense Love Story” rolling his eyes at all the interviews of people’s love life since most of them contained gushy lovey dovey crap.

His eyes landed on a certain name that he definitely wasn’t ready to see at the bottom of the page. He had to read it twice just to make sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. It was her. It had to be. No one else had that name in Salt Lake City.

Nini: My most intense love story was with a man who I thought I would wake up next to for the rest of my life. He was my childhood best friend and we loved each other like crazy. We ended things three months ago going on four pretty soon. I don’t know what led him to get so defensive that night we split, but those last venomous words we spat at each other resulted in me leaving him and never turning back. I would love to say that I’ve moved on. I’d love to say that I have no desire to see his face again after what he said to me, but that’d be a lie. I don’t think he’ll ever see this, but if there’s a slim chance that you’re reading this, just know that I miss you. God I miss you so much. Hope you figured everything out.

Ricky had probably reread that column at least four more times before he finally let the words soak in. His heart was beating out of his chest.

_You said you care, and you missed me too_

He decides to take this as a good sign. She was still thinking about him and said she missed him. Maybe if he acts soon enough, she’ll welcome him back into her life again. Maybe he can sweep her off her feet like he did when he first asked her on a date back in their junior year of high school. Maybe not all hope of them being an us again was lost.

_And I get the feeling that you'll never need me again_

And then he remembers that she probably doesn’t need him in her life again because she was better off without someone like him. He had always known that she was way too good for him despite all of her protests. She was the epitome of everything that is good while he was the total opposite.

She could find someone better for her. Someone who didn’t say those awful things to her that grisly night. Someone who wasn’t such an emotional wreck and knew when to bite their tongue before they say something they’ll regret. She deserves the world, no the whole damn universe. And if staying away from her means she’ll prosper, he’ll keep his distance.

_I'm falling again, I'm falling again, I'm fallin'_

Today was her 22nd birthday.

He wondered how she was celebrating it and with who. He remembers eight months ago when they had been planning out what they’d be doing this very day.

She claimed she didn’t want to do anything since it wasn’t a special birthday, but he had convinced her that every birthday was worth celebrating because it meant you lived another year, and that was worth something.

He can see her face so clearly from that day. She had made a grin so large her dimples appeared. She was so radiant and so beautiful in her yellow sundress that day. She naturally lit up the room just by existing.

He remembers how lucky he felt being with the most perfect human being on earth and wondered how the hell he was able to even score her in the first place. It still amazes him to this day that she had said yes to that date when they were 17 chilling in the back of his truck.

He feels tears begin to fall down his face and doesn’t even bother to wipe them away as he rereads that column from that magazine again. He shoved it in his jacket pocket. He really needed to try to find a way to get her off of his mind, so he decides to take a drive and lets his mind lead him to wherever it desires.

His mind is on autopilot as he drives aimlessly around the city. He had probably been driving for at least an hour now. He ends up in the parking lot of an apartment complex and doesn’t even bother to check what subdivision it is.

He gets out of his car realizing he could use a nice stretch after a long drive. When he gets out, he freezes. He knew that teal Chevrolet anywhere.

His mind led him to the very person he was trying to forget.

His fight or flight kicked in. He could either take the easy way out and head home, or he could finally face her and tell her he saw her column a month ago and that he was still in love with her.

His feet seemed to have made the decision for him, and he started to walk towards the stairs to her apartment. He stood in front of her front door contemplating if he was making the right decision.

Would she actually be happy to see him? What if she’s found someone else? What if she punches you the moment she opens the door? Would she just slam the door on him? The possibilities were endless.

He finally builds up the strength to gently knock on the door. There’s no answer for a few seconds, and he thinks that maybe she isn’t home or maybe she’s asleep since it is 11 at night on a weekday. Maybe this was a sign that they weren’t meant to be. He’s about to walk away until the door cracks open.

His heart beats like crazy the moment they meet eyes. She looks at him bewildered; she doesn’t look different at all. She’s still just as beautiful as she was all those months ago even in her pajamas. He realizes that he was just staring at her without saying anything.

“Hey.”

Her face remains shocked by his sudden appearance.

“Hi.”

He reaches for his pocket and pulls out the two month old magazine out and showed her. She silently gasps and begins blushing when she realizes what it is.

“I didn’t think you’d ever see it.”

“Nini, I’ve probably read this a thousand times by now trying to find some way to address it. I just wanted you to know that I miss you too and I figured everything out. I’m ready.”

She doesn’t react at first, but then her lips perk up into a grin. He finds himself grinning back. She opens the door wider, grabs his hand, and interlocks their fingers. He feels a jolt of happiness overcome his body just by her small gesture.

He hasn’t felt this alive in months. He thinks that maybe this was a dream, but then notices it’s indeed reality when she squeezes his hand.

“Glad to hear it.”

That’s when Ricky knew that everything would be just fine. No matter what happens when he enters her apartment, they’ll be alright.

He wasn’t falling any longer.

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been thinking of an angst for a while actually, and I got a suggestion to do one. Hopefully I did you justice!


End file.
